‘Linton Kwesi Johnson is not just a master of the language but of its various forms: lyric, poetry and prose’ – Gary Younge

A special event with pioneering Jamaican reggae poet, performer, activist and critic, Linton Kwesi Johnson. For the first time, Linton’s non-fiction, written over many decades, has been collected into one volume Time Come: Selected Prose. It showcases his thoughts on music and literature, on politics, and on the people who inspired him. Linton will perform a short set from his extraordinary collection Selected Poems before discussing his work, his contribution to Black British culture and the artists and activists that have inspired and nurtured him with host Jackie Kay.

Linton is a Jamaican born reggae poet and activist who came to Britain in 1963. Widely regarded as the father of ‘dub poetry’, in 2002, he became the second living poet and the only Black poet to be published in the Penguin Modern Classics series. He has recorded several albums and toured the world. In 2020 he was awarded the PEN Pinter Prize. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with Manchester Poetry Library.

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